A/N: Hey guys! I know I have a lot of stories going on at the moment, but I've been wanting to get this one up for a while. Its something me and my friend 4thespadaulquiorra are working on together. Its not like our normal ones, where we're each doing our own chapter, our chapters are together on this one. Anyway, we both hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: We do not own Tales of the Abyss.
"Jeez, you need to lighten up. Nobody is going to try anything with Van here, Armina." Guy Cecil said, watching the girl next to him with a mildly amused look.
Armina had been sitting the courtyard where Luke, her charge, and Van, his sword instructor, were training, watching every now and then, but mostly looking around the area for anything suspicious. It was her job to protect the young master, and nothing was going to distract her.
She glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye, her long blond hair blowing in the breeze. "Unless their target is Van, in which case they would love the chance to kill both the Young Master and Van himself at the same time."
"So morbid." Guy sighed. Armina was always thinking of the worst possibility so she'd be ready for anything. "You must be real fun at parties."
Armina smiled slightly, before her sharp eyes went back to looking around. "Depends on who's throwing the party." She glanced over, noticing Luke trying out the "Fang Blade" arte Van had taught him, and smiled more. "He's getting better." Suddenly she frowned, thinking of something. "Of course, he'll never get to use these techniques, locked up like he is."
Luke had been locked up in his manor ever since an incident that happened 7 years ago. He had been kidnapped, and when Van found him, he had a serious case of amnesia. It was so bad he couldn't even remember his parents faces or names, or even how to walk.
Guy sighed again. "Tell me about it. No wonder he's so miserable all the time- it must be incredibly boring, being stuck in the manor all the time."
"Better locked up than dead."
Guy jumped at the voice and turned around, while Armina just smiled without looking. "Hello, Uncle."
"Hey Jason…." Guy said, looking mildly embarrassed.
The newcomer grinned. "Heya." He turned back to Armina, looking slightly serious. "Listen, Ari, you might want to come with me."
She gave him a confused look. "I'm supposed to be watching Luke today while Duke Fabre is out."
"This is a bit more important." Jason said, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "One of our guys has spotted a Malkuth ship, and not too far from here."
Armina instantly stood up and turned to Van. "I have to leave, make sure nothing happens to Luke." She turned to Guy. "And you make sure he doesn't try anything."
For some reason she didn't really trust Van. There was just something about him that didn't seem right to her, but she didn't dare speak her thoughts aloud, because she knew no one would believe her.
Van nodded, pretending not to hear her comment to Guy. "Of course not. Nothing will ever hurt Luke while I'm here, you know that, Armina."
I wish I could be so sure. Armina glanced at him before turning to her uncle. "How far?"
He shrugged. "Nearing the port. They don't appear to be making any attempts to hide, and there's only one ship, so it doesn't seem as if they're planning an attack. But, Ari, this ship..."
"The Tartarus, isn't it?" she said, already heading towards the gate. Jason nodded slowly, and Armina smiled grimly. "Jade. Well, this should be very interesting. Uncle, send for Blaine and Katrine. Tell them to meet me at the port in ten minutes."
Jason nodded again and seemed to disappear, using a tricky magic spell that lets him move quickly.
Armina then waved to Luke and Guy, who seem confused by what was going on, and opened the gate, before running out towards the port, ignoring the elevators.
Lissa stared out the window of the Malkuth ship she was on, looking bored and annoyed at being brought along. "I don't see why I had ta come too Jade. I was perfectly content at the palace."
Jade, the commander of the ship, the Tartarus, sighed. He didn't want the girl there any more than she wanted to be there herself. "I need your help with this since you weren't doing anything else at the moment. Besides, the emperor seemed very adamant about getting you out of the palace."
Lissa grinned, her blue eyes flashing deviously. "I don't see why. I mean, its not like I was doing anything bad. I was just telling him how stupid his pigs names were and how he should have named one after me 'cause I'm so totally awesome!" She winked, causing Jade to sigh again, rubbing his temples.
"We're almost there, Colonel." A soldier said, walking up and saluting to Jade.
Jade looked up and nodded. "Be ready men." He sighed again as he heard a throat being cleared. "And Vasilisa."
"I told you its Lissa!" She said angrily, her blond pony tail flopping as she turned to stare out the window as Kimlasca came into view. This should be fun!
This was Lissa's first time to Kimlasca, and she didn't think she'd ever get to see it because of the war between her country and this one. And now that she was finally getting to come, she just wanted to get there. But it seemed like the land wasn't getting any closer.
"Come on! Can't this thing go any faster?" she said excitedly.
Jade gave her a look. "We have to slow down so we don't crash in the port."
Lissa blinked a couple times, thinking about this. "Oh... right." She grinned as Jade sighed again, not sure how he managed to put up with her for so long.
Eventually the Tartarus slowed to a stop, and Lissa jumped up excitedly, wanting to get off the ship.
Jade walked over to the doors as they opened, and looked at his crew. "I only need three of you to accompany me, along with Vasilisa."
Said girl glared. She hated her full name. "I said its Lissa!" Quickly she ran over to him. "And you could use my title once in a while, ya know!"
"Right. Please forgive me, Major Darrigan."
Lissa gave him a look. "Why does that sound like sarcasm?"
"Because it is." He said flatly, earning another annoyed look from the young girl. "Now lets go."
The Major stuck her tongue out at him, before following him down to the port, forgetting about being mad, as she thought about how much fun she'd have.
Lissa looked around as people at the port whispered to each other and were freaking out at the sight of the Tartarus and their Malkuth uniforms. Obviously they were not very welcome there.
"Halt!" a soldier in a red uniform called, as a bunch of them pointed their swords at the ramp as the Malkuth soldiers walked down it.
"What is your business here?" the soldier who appeared to be the leader called to them, as Lissa and the others stopped at the bottom of the ramp. Lissa continued to ignore him however, as she looked around. That is until another voice caught her attention.
"Now really, that's no way to treat our guests."
The head soldier turned around at the voice and saw a woman with long blond hair and two others dressed in officer's uniforms. "C-Captain Armina?"
"Captain?" Jade said, obviously amused, and Lissa glanced up at him, confused by his tone. Did he know this girl?
Armina glared at him. "Oh save it." She turned to the Kimlascan soldiers. "We'll handle this. Fall out."
"Aye aye ma'am!" The soldiers saluted and marched off reluctantly, turning back to look at the Malkuthians every now and then.
The other two who stayed stood silently on guard at the end of the ramp as Armina walked up to meet the Malkuth soldiers. Lissa noted that they looked similar, like maybe they were related or something.
"Well well, if it isn't Jade Curtiss. Been a while." Armina said, stopping in front of Lissa and Jade.
"Yes it has...Captain." Jade smirked and adjusted his glasses, as Lissa glanced between the two. So they did know each other. She'd have to find out how later.
Armina ignored his teasing about the fake-and much lower than the real-rank. "What are you doing here?"
At this, Lissa looked up at him as well. "I'd like to know that too Jade. You never did tell me why we had to come all the way to Kimlasca." All she had been told was that she was going to Kimlasca with Jade, whether she wanted to or not.
Jade sighed. "We're here for completely peaceful reasons, I can assure you that."
Lissa nodded slowly. "Right..." She glanced between the two again. "Hey, you know this girl Jade?"
"Yes. This is...Captain" She noticed him try to hold in a grin. "...Armina Owell."
"Oh..." Lissa, being her normal peppy self, turned to the other girl and grinned waving. "Hi! I'm Vasilisa Darrigan, but you can call me Lissa 'cause I hate my full name. Its nice ta meet ya!"
Armina gave the younger girl a small smile. "I know the feeling. Most people call me Ari, nice to meet you." She turned back to Jade. "Entirely peaceful reasons or not, I want more details before any of you step off this dock."
"You'll also need paperwork." The boy, Blaine, who was standing at the end of the dock said loudly enough for them all to hear as the girl next to him nodded. "The King's not happy with your country right now."
"That too." Armina said. "My uncle's already informing the king that you've docked in the city. He'll want to speak with you and you can expect a few more soldiers soon."
Jade shrugged with his hands out to the side-elbows bent and palms up. "Well I didn't exactly expect a warm welcome. That suits my purpose perfectly, actually." He turned to one of his soldiers who were standing behind him. "Bring me the letter from the Emperor."
Armina crossed her arms and studied Jade, Lissa, and the soldiers as the one saluted before heading back into the ship. She was watching them in a way that made most of the soldiers squirm. "For your sakes this had better be entirely peaceful."
Katrine, the girl at the bottom of the ramp decided to speak up. "The king's not going to be happy about this. He's busy with all the pressure. A war could break out at any moment and we're wasting his time with visitors."
"This won't be a waste of time." Armina said, making eye contact with Jade and smirking very slightly. "I take it this is important, or you wouldn't have come here after last time."
"I have no intention of wasting the king's time, I can assure you." Jade said, returning the smirk, and Lissa got the feeling the two were sharing a joke.
"Tell me everything then, Jade, and I'll take you to the King. But just you, and perhaps…" Armina glanced at Lissa, noting the rank on her uniform. "…the major as well. I'd say no weapons but yours is never gone, is it?"
Lissa gave her a confused look. "Huh? How'd you-" She glanced down at her uniform, remembering her rank was on it and laughed. "Oh right! Duh!"
Jade ignored her as the Malkuth soldiers sighed, and smiled at Armina. "The Emperor would like to make a peace treaty with Kimlasca."
Lissa stopped laughing and looked up at him shocked. She hadn't known that. "Really? That doesn't sound like Emperor P at all..." She crossed her arms, thinking about this.
"She's a little on the odd side, don't you think?" Blaine whispered to Katrine, who nodded slowly as she watched them all carefully.
Lissa put her hand on her chin thinking. "A peace treaty huh..." She grinned. "Sounds awesome! Lets do it!"
Jade ignored her again, something he was very good at doing. "So...if you don't mind, the major and I would like to request an audience with the king."
Armina watched his face for any sign that he might be lying. She didn't trust him one bit, especially after last time she had seen him. "Show me the letter first."
"The king won't like receiving second hand news." Jade inquired.
"My job is to protect the king-not make things more convenient for him." Armina said, putting out her hand. "The letter."
Jade shrugged and took the letter from the soldier who had gotten it for him, then handed it to her. Lissa watched curiously as the other girl scanned the letter quickly. She kind of wanted to know what it said too.
"Seems genuine." Armina said, refolding the letter and putting it back inside the envelope before handing it to Katrine. "We'll hold that for now. Both of you can come along, but your men have to stay here, and I'll take those glasses."
The Malkuth soldiers stared at her surprised but confused, as did Blaine and Katrine. "His glasses?" the boy asked, but she ignored him and waited with her hand extended again.
Lissa stared shocked as Jade removed his glasses and handed them to her, chuckling. "Crafty as ever. To suppress the effects of the fonic sight without these will require all my concentration. I won't be able to do any magic, which is no doubt your intention."
Armina smiled slightly. "Shouldn't have mentioned them last time." With that she turned and started to march away. "Come on then."
Blaine and Katrine fell back and stood next to Lissa and Jade, obviously intending to watch them on the way up. Lissa glanced at them, then glanced between Armina and Jade again, before shrugging and beginning to walk into the city.
A/N: Well that's it for now! We have a lot of this written, so we just need people to give us feedback on it to continue posting! anyway, please review and let us know what you think! I'll try to get the next one out soon for you guys!